Municipal polls: Low voter turnout in Mumbai

Mumbai: Marked by a poor turnout, polling is in progress today in 10 municipal corporations across Maharashtra, including the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, with no untoward incident reported so far.

Voter apathy was evident in Mumbai with hardly 8.4 percent of the 1.02 crore electorate casting their votes till 10 am, two-hours-and-a-half after polling began. At 11: 30 am the turn out was still below 23 percent.

Polling parties leave for their election duty on the eve of BMC elections. PTI

Despite all government offices, educational institutions and a large number of private establishments declaring a holiday to enable the voters cast their ballots, there were hardly any queues seen at polling stations.

In Nagpur, polling started on a tardy pace but picked up soon after with 15 percent polling recorded till 11.30 am.

Malfunctioning of EVM was reported from a public library in Rameshwari area in south city area.

BJP national president Nitin Gadkari accompanied by his wife Kanchan and other family members turned up at a booth in Mahal and exercised their franchise. AICC General Secretary and local MP Vilas Muttemwar accompanied by his wife Chhaya and other family members also cast their ballot early today

In Nashik, voting began this morning for 122 seats in the Municipal Corporation here, where 929 candidates are in the fray.

The first two hours saw 8-10 percent polling on a peaceful note at 1253 voting centres. The total number of electorate is 1,03,500.

Two complaints of EVM malfunction were received from Ward 43 and 49 in Cidco area.

In Amravati, polling began on a slow note and the turnout was very low. Only about five percent votes were cast in the first one and half hour of polling.

In neighbouring Thane, an average 12 percent polling was reported during the first two hours, with long queues seen outside some polling booths.

More than 20 platoons of SRPF have been deployed besides over 8,000 police personnel to ensure fair polling for the Thane Municipal Corporation, police said.

There are 991 sensitive polling booths in Thane and Ulhasnagar. In addition to this, the election officials here have identified 118 hyper-sensitive polling booths.